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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – In a battle of the last two unbeaten teams in the Ohio Valley Conference Murray State extended its winning streak to 14 games as they beat Eastern Illinois 77-62 to end the Panthers nine game win streak on Thursday night in front of a standing room only crowd at Lantz Arena.
EIU fell to 12-7 overall, 6-1 in the OVC. The Panthers will host Austin Peay on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. with the national entertainment act the Zooperstars!!! set to perform. Murray State improved to 16-4 overall, 6-0 in the OVC.
Cameron Payne scored 33 points for the Racers as they shot 51 percent for the game. Both teams traded early baskets as
Chris Olivier's bucket with 18:01 to play gave the Panthers their only lead at 4-3. Jarvis Williams scored on the next possession as MSU went on 11-0 run to lead 14-4 with 15:11 to play.
Olivier would cut the lead back to single digits with a bucket at the 14:21 mark as the EIU forward finished with a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds.
Jeffery Moss and Oliver traded baskets for the Racers and Panthers before Payne hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push Murray State's lead to 28-10 with 9:11 to play.
Trae Anderson would score with two seconds left in the half for EIU as Murray State led 39-26 at the break. Anderson joined Olivier as Panthers in double figures finishing with 16 points.
Murray State extended the second half lead to 22 points with 14:37 remaining as Williams had back-to-back dunks for the Racers following steals. Williams had 15 points as four Racers finished in double figures. Moss had 11 while T.J. Sapp finished with 13. Jonathan Fairell had twelve rebounds.
EIU made a late run with free throws by Anderson and
Cornell Johnston at the 5:29 cutting the lead to ten points at 65-55. All four free throws came on the same possession following a technical foul assessed after Anderson's first free throw attempt.
Payne drove the lane and was fouled for Murray State on the next possession. He sank both free throws and EIU could never get back to the ten point deficit.